Elihu begins by noting he claims no special privilege or revelation. He appeals to Job as a fellow creature of God and does not accuse him of sin any worse than his own. Would Job listen to the words and see if they reflect his own understanding of God’s revelation? Elihu has neither means nor desire to offer any kind of threat, but help instead.
He notes that Job has overstated his case. He let the trio get to him and answered the wrong question, offered the wrong argument. It sounds too much like Job said God was unjust, and that simply wasn’t right.
What Job held forth is a challenge God would not answer. It was the wrong approach. Surely Job was aware that God speaks in more ways than any man could receive. You have to include the whole range before you claim God refuses to speak. Could God not speak to Job in the suffering, too? Was not this at the very least a message to drive Job into the Creator’s Presence? God takes no joy in human sorrow, but hardly keeps them from it, either. All of God’s work among men is aimed at driving them back into His moral truth. Circumstances may bring us under the shadow of death, but so long as our life serves any use to Him, He will surely save it. When it was all over, Job would have a testimony of salvation.
Elihu reminded Job of God’s mercy and persistence. Now would be a good time for Job to stop testing God and repent from allowing the three men to distract him. Elihu had no intention of tearing Job down, but to build him back up. He begged Job to come back to the right side of this issue.
